2018 Winter Olympics: Preview and Betting Tips

Thousands of competitors from all over the world have made their way onto the snow-swept summits of South Korea to brave the freezing elements of Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Great Britain and Northern Ireland are taking a team of 59 sportsmen and women in a bid to claim a best-ever haul of five medals, but are they likely to hit their target? Here’s what the bookies reckon will happen in some of the key events:

Short Track Speed Skating

All British eyes will be on Elise Christie at the Gangneung Ice Arena, as the Scottish 27-year-old tries to banish the demons of Sochi 2014. Among the favourites four years ago, Christie was disqualified in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m and again faces a tough challenge in Pyeongchang, especially against the likes of local favourite Choi Min-Jeong and Japanese sprint queen Nao Kodaira. However, Christie took three golds and a bronze in last year’s World Championship in Rotterdam and the odds look extremely tempting - particularly William Hill’s 33/1 in the 1000m. In such an unpredictable sport where collisions are commonplace, it could be well worth a flutter on someone of Christie’s class.

Skeleton

Bidding to become the first British woman to defend a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, flagbearer Lizzy Yarnold will carry the nation’s hopes on her tiny tea tray as she hurtles around the twisting course of the Alpensia Sliding Centre. However, just like Christie, she is not rated among the favourites for the gold medal and has been priced at 18/1 by William Hill. German slider Jacqueline Loelling is the red-hot favourite on the ice, having won major races at Whistler, Winterburg and Altenberg this season.

Curling

Traditionally one of Britain’s strongest Winter Olympic sports, both the men’s and women’s teams are rated as third favourites in their respective events. The men’s team won silver in Sochi but looks short of experience going into the event in South Korea, with Canada odds-on favourites to triumph after winning the 2017 World Championship with a perfect 13-0 record. Canada will also be the team to beat in the women’s event, but Britain look good value at 5/1 to challenge for glory. Skip Eve Muirhead will be competing in her third Olympics and has both a settled and skilful team behind her to perhaps take out the formidable Canadian unit.

Snowboarding

The fact that Katie Ormerod was still considered one of Britain’s greatest medal hopes despite a fractured wrist spoke volumes for both her prodigious talent and fighting spirit, and the Yorkshire snowboarder was hoping to compete on two fronts in Pyeongchang as she set her sights on the slopestyle and big air events. Ormerod took home bronze in the slopestyle test event and finished fourth in the World Cup, while she became the first Briton to win a World Cup big air competition when she came out on top in Moscow. However, she was forced to pull out on the eve of the Olympics with a severely fractured heel, leaving the American Jamie Anderson as the woman to beat.

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